


Intra Unum Diem Vitae

by feudal_goddess



Series: Intra Unum Diem Vitae [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Adventure, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 10:10:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16852084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feudal_goddess/pseuds/feudal_goddess
Summary: Title Translation: One more day inside this lifeStory summary:Even the greatest prophecy has an addition, much like the heart is connected to every artery and vein. This prophecy is no different. Every decision makes a different outcome. You read it wrong, you choose the wrong path, you’re lost. But choose it correctly, and you’ll get there. This is a story of consequences. A story of belonging and understanding. But, most importantly, it is a story of one more day inside this life.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter Summary: In a time when a ceasefire has been called, uncertainty rages across one’s heart, infecting their blood. Finding familiarity and resolve is the key. Also introducing the new characters.
> 
> It took me a while to figure this out and write it and actually get the courage to post it. But I could not contain it any longer and so, here’s the prologue. I hope you smile through it.  
> This was originally posted on tumblr over a year ago and I'm moving it over here - all 27 chapters of it XD  
> Comment and such, but the first few chapters are pretty awful. Just thought to warn you.

* * *

The stars shone overhead. It was late. She should have been home by now. But she didn’t want to go home. Between figuring things out or being surrounded by confusion, she needed space to think. And the best place to do that was on the balcony at Noct’s apartment.

Airlea looked at the citadel, the building towering above most of the buildings in the district. It was beautiful to look at with the dark sky as it’s backdrop. But there was also something so eerie about it that didn’t bode well with her. Yet, here she was now, looking at it, trying to clear her mind.

Regis had called for a ceasefire with the empire. It made sense to do so, but the empire was never a place for honourable actions and chivalry. It ruled with fear. It had always been after one thing out of jealousy. Out of greed. Calling the ceasefire, having the signing in Insomnia, would only give them the chance to take iit….

As much as she looked up to the king as a second father, as odd as it was, she disagreed with the treaty and the ways to have it succeed: marry the Prince to Lady Lunafreya of Tenebrae. With Tenebrae under empire control, marrying the two together would give them another chance should the first one fail. That thought alone made her stomach churn.

As a Sicarius, she cared about about both the country and the royal family. Sure, her family wasn’t a direct bodyguard of the King - that was left to the Amicitia’s - but as assassins, they protected from afar. Working in the shadows, removing a threat before it became one. With her father gone, there had been no one to do that: her brother turned traitor, her sister joined the dragoons. And, relatively speaking, she wasn’t old enough to even do her duty. She was twenty and an assassin only fully committed to the task on their twenty-fifth birthday. It was tradition.

Still, the King had kindly allowed her to join the Noctis, Ignis, Gladio and Prompto on this journey to Altissia, to get him married. The four were in high spirits, hearing the news of ultimate peace. But it wasn’t so simple. If it was, they would have married in Insomnia. There wouldn’t be sudden trip to Altissia… It would have been done by now… Nothing is simple when it comes to protecting and prophecies.

“Hey. Why you still up?” Noct’s voice echoed from the kitchen, his footsteps soon following.

“Forgot my keys. Gramps said he would pick me up once the little man was asleep and not causing a ruckus.”

“Ah.” From the corner of her eye, she noticed Noct leaning against the balcony too. “You look bad.”

Airlea sighed. “I know. I fell asleep - “

“Bad as in upset.” The prince interrupted. “Thought the sound of peace would perk you up.”

The female sighed, her shoulders slumping. “When I was younger and naïve, perhaps.” Airlea hung her head, dark blonde hair hanging like curtains, covering the side of her face. “But now…I don’t know how to feel.” She looked up again, noting the dark clouds of rain coming in. “Everything’s happened so quickly that nothing seems…right anymore. You’ll be happy with Luna, you’ll still have a shield and a steward and a really good friend… “

“And you.” He nudged her arm with his own. “Don’t forget you were my only friend for a long while.”

“True.” She smiled but it quickly fell. “But assassin’s….my family….once this i over, they’d have no purpose. Once the chosen has made his stand - “

“So you’re scared?” She felt his midnight blues on her, his hand gently placed on her one. “Because of the uncertainty?”

“I…guess you could say that. I know it’s stupid but -”

“It’s not stupid.” He  looked back out at the horizon. “Everyone’s scared in some way, even if they are just nervous. Besides,” then he was looking back at her, “I know you’ll find a way forward. You always do.”

“I wish…I hope … you’re right, Noct.” Airlea looked at him gently now and she noted that he, too, looked a little gloomy. His smile was pained. She contemplated asking if he was okay but she knew he would just say that he was fine and deflect all questions about his wellbeing. “Thank you for listening to me and, well, checking up on me. It means a lot. Really.”

“I’m just glad I could help.”

Honk, Honk. Car horn beeping, car door winding down. Airlea and Noct both looked down and saw a familiar wave from a familiar crimson car.  
  


“That must be my grandpa.” She went into the back pocket of her skinny, black jeans and pulled out her smartphone. She had a text from ‘the old man’ - that was his name on her contacts - stating that he’d wait for as long as she needed to say goodbye to Noct.  “Yeah, it is. I best head down then.”

“I’ll go with you.” The prince straightened.

“No it’s okay.” And Airlea just shook her head. “I know my way.”

Noct grinned but he still refused to give in. “I haven’t seen you grampa in  a while. It’d be nice to get a conversation going with him.”

“You just want to come round my place now, don’t you?”

“I haven’t been there in years. And, let’s face it, your little brother adores me.” Noct walked on ahead.

“Yeah but he’s asleep. You know my grandma doesn’t like you in my room either. She thinks you’re a sex-driven animal. I keep on telling her ‘that’s Gladio not the prince’ and she says ‘I used to say your grandpa wasn’t that type of guy. But a year later I find out he is.’ And then I just go ‘Woah woah woah. Too much information. I’m an innocent cherry blossom who has never been intimate or wants to be intimate right now.’”

“Let me guess, she then brings up the hugging and you go ‘hugging is just hugging not getting into anyone’s underwear.” Noct stated, knowing how this goes by now.

“And then she goes ‘it isn’t only underpants people get into’.” Airlea cringed. “She disturbs me that woman.”

Notis laughed. “Don’t you have spare rooms?”

“Filled with junk that no one wants to get rid off.”

“I’ll just have to use your floor.”

“I have a sofa in my room, Noct. I’ll just get all the cushions off it.”

…..

When they finally arrived at the car half an hour later, her Grandpa smiled at the two. “Oooo. I see there’s gonna be a sleepover at our place tonight with his highness.”

“Apparantly so.” Airlea rolled her eyes as the old man took the things from Noct’s grasp and put them on the passenger seat. “It’s okay. We’ve already sorted out the arrangements. One of us gets my bed the other gets my sofa.”

The old man chuckled, and ran his hand over his white stubbled chin. She remembered a time when he had greying black hair. To her, those were the good old days. It was when he still worked for Regis - though he had long since left the assassinating to her father. “Good thing I trimmed. Gimme your hand, lass.”

“No. I know you’ll give my hand a dry-shave.”

“I wouldn’t do such a thing. “ He blinked and held out his hand. “Please believe me?”

Airlea looked to Noct for help. But he was only grinning and not giving her any form of help. So she sighed, looked to her Grandpa and put her hand in his. He pulled her close to him and then he rubbed his chin against her shoulder, bare from the vest top she was wearing. Airlea giggled at the sensation and struggled against his hold. “I yield! I yield!”

He grinned happily. “A’right. Now you can get into the back. Do mind the little guy. He said ‘ai can’t sleep until ai see ma big sis.’

“I see he hasn’t changed much since I last saw him.”

“He looks less like a troll and more like a child. So he certainly looks cuter.” She opened one of the backdoors as she replied to Noct’s statement.”

“Airlea!” And, just like that, her five year old brother jumps out at her, clinging to the straps of her top. She had to quickly perch an arm beneath his bottom and wrap the other around his back.

“Audax, you little imp.” She smiled fondly. “I could have dropped you.”

“But you didn’t because ai’m cute.” He grinned, showing the gap from where one of his front teeth had fallen out, and then he spotted Noctis. His grin became shy and his confidence faltered. “G-Good eve’ing your hi…ness.”

“He won’t bite you, Aud.” She smiled. “Go on. “

Just like that, the little boy opened his arms at the prince, who proceeded to pick him up with great ease. “She said you were heavy earlier. But I think you’re light.”

“Wu do?” He perked up and his began to grin again when Noct nodded. “Yay! See, sis! I said I was light.” He looked back at the prince again and clung to his jacket collar. “Are you staying over tonight? Airlea’s been sad all week and ai fink dat you staying over will halp her feel better.”

Airlea felt her cheeks burn. Noct looked at her with a bright smile. “Is that so? What does your sister say about that?”

“I can’t say he’s entirely wrong.” She sighed. “Anyway, we need to get into the car. So we won’t be late for dinner.”

Audax grinned. “Yes. Dinner. It’s pasta bake today. Ig’is is making ‘cause nan can’t cook and neith can grammpy…”

“Cheeky li’l devil you are, grandson.” But it was clear affection.

Airlea gestured for Noct to get in first, taking her brother from his grasp. Once he was in,  she sat Audax in the middle, though he soon sat a little closer to Noct, and then she settled herself into the car, closing the door after her.

….

Upon arriving at her house, she knew Noct was smiling. Probably remembering that the last time he was there, he was ten. And it was a month before the family began to fall apart. It was a villa of sorts. You could say it was a small scale roman villa, but, the truth was, it wasn’t really a small scale either. It was just created from multiple generations adding on bits and pieces. It certainly stood out from the crowd. But it was home. It was sufficient and they had a large enough garden to save a crap tonne of money every year. Especially on the cider and wine.

Audax, so named for showing great courage within his first few seconds of being in the world, ran on ahead and stood on his tip-toes to open the door. When he couldn’t reach the door handle, he began to sniffle.

“No giving up now, little man.” Noct crouched beside him. “I’ll give you a boost.” He hooked his arm around the toddler and lifted him up slightly. Once the toddler opened the door, he grinned and the prince set him down so he could run off and grap Ignis’ leg. “Airlea, did he get his affectionate side from you.”

“Um…”

“They both got it from their father.” Her grandma appeared then, grabbing the table cloth. Her glasses were perched on her nose, her hair, white and waist long, settled into a ponytail. Upon her person she wore a short sleeved floral top and a matching floral skirt. “He taught them how to love. Much like his father taught them and so on.”

“Mary - “

“Shush, Velox.” She smiled fondly. “But they also taught each other, both struggling upon their father’s death. And you helped a lot, Prince Noctis. For that, I thank you.”

“Uh..you’re welcome?”

“That was a very quick conversation, nan.” Airlea walked in just a little after Noct, who followed her grampa, so named for having a quick birth. “You should have more of them. Save us the lectures. I get enough from Ignis and Cor. And Gladio come to think of it. And my cousin, come to think of it.”

“If no one lectures you in this household no one ever will.”

Airlea sighed. “Iggy, when’s food ready?”

“When it’s done.”

“Oh.” She crossed her arms. “You also have a little child falling asleep on your leg.!

“Ai’m not falling asleep!”

Ignis sighed. “He’s the food taster since he’s the fussiest. And sitting on the counter is a health and safety hazard.”

“I used to - “

“Airlea, you are a hazard. Especially in the training room.”

“Stop bullying me in front of people, Ignis. It’s rude.”

“So’s hitting your mentor in the groin with a wooden stick when you’re training.” The strategist looked her calmly.

“I apologised though.” She hung her head. “I hate you…”

“Is that a compliment or an insult?” He spoke evenly.

“Why can’t it be both?” And then she trudged along with a heavy sigh.

Now no one was getting forget about that. But it didn’t really matter anymore. This was going to be the last meal she had with her family for a while. And she wanted it to be a good one. Before she left with the other for Altissia tomorrow. 


	2. 01 - The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The City has fallen but Airlea needs to know for certain. Her restlessness, started by the nauseating feeling that something terrible is going to happen, causes her to see the damage from a far. When Ignis mentions the rumours, she knows she needs to see the damage for herself and leaves for the city with the faint hope that she can save someone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t exactly have a major note apart from i did not intend it go go this way. Nearing the end, you may cry. You may not. I know I certainly did. It might make no sense by further in the story there will be chapters to add context to the scene. Enjoy! If anyone would like to be tagged in future updates, let me know! Also, please send in your opinons of the fic and Airlea! It would mean so much to me and help keep me motivated!

She couldn’t sleep.  _Wouldn’t_ sleep. She felt nauseous. Her stomach knotted and knotted again, churning and constantly moving. It was that horrible feeling that something was going to happening. Something…  _bad._ The uneasiness in the room was so small but enough to kick-start her sixth sense.  And she  _hated_ it. She couldn’t do anything about it. Just let it happen.

Airlea stared at the ceiling, waiting… waiting for whatever it was to happen in order to sleep. She was already working on the three hours she managed to get the night before, Gladio’s snoring and Prompto sneaking on his phone keeping her awake for the biggest part of the night.

And now she had tension keeping her awake. It was just her and the sound of the clock ticking… it did nothing to ease the atmosphere around her. The hours dragged longer with the constant echo…  
It made her…fearful.

She could soon smell the extremely faint smell of smoke being carried along by the coastal breeze, hear the waves crashing… Airlea threw herself out of bed and walked to the windows, closing them quickly. She stared out at the sea for a while, watching the waves come in and out in an angered haze.

It was difficult to see, but she could only  _just_ see the tip of a naked flame, smoke being carried along the wind. It was coming from the direction of the capital, though she doubted it could be…

Wait.. Insomnia, Niffelheim, the crystal –

Her gut clenched tighter than before, the pain spreading through her body and straight to her heart. She clenched the window sill, bracing herself at the shock… It was almost like she could hear the screams of the people, of those being killed mercilessly… In her mind, her childhood memories were being set aflame and she was forced to watch them burn into nothingness.

 _No._ She straightened.  _I won’t let this rule me._

Airlea, now resolved, looked to the door of the room then back at the fires… She needed to go, know if it was her imagination…

It  _had to be._ There was no way the crystal would allow the city to fall…

But there was. Because  _that was what the empire wanted._ They  _wanted_ the crystal to prosper. They  _wanted_ the crystal to be  _better_ than Lucis. To be  _better_ than the Lucian line. Because they were the last Kingdom that wasn’t ruled by  _their_ terms. The last kingdom to be an  _independent state._ The empire was jealous and greedy and  _everyone feared its armies and ruler, who would do **anything** to get their hands on the crystal. The last in the world…_

And Airlea knew none of this was going to get even easier having been told the prophecy in her dreams, in a distant land far, far away from the violence of reality.

It was just a matter of time now, the clock ticking. And it would continue to tick and tock until all hope was lost. Until the empire won.

She wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Can’t sleep, Airlea?”

Airlea jumped, startled at the strategist’s voice, and spun round quickly to find him walking into the room with a cup of freshly made ebony in hand.   
“Something like that. And you shouldn’t be drinking ebony when it’s ten o’clock at night. You need sleep, too.”

“I would but rumour has it that – “

“The city is fallen.” She interrupted him as she looked back out the window, tone remorseful. “So I’ll be heading there. See it for myself. Try and save the innocents before the Magitech get them… I’m not going to wait until the morning headlines. By then, we’ll be too late.”

She felt Ignis’ eyes on her, burying his gaze into the back of her skull as if trying to figure out her thought process. “….And what about Noct?” She tensed. “What should I tell him?”

“I…haven’t thought that far ahead.” She sighed. “You’ll figure it out, Ignis. No matter what you say he’ll have the exact same reaction of ‘let’s find her, yell in annoyance and then ignore her for the rest of the day.’ So it’ll make no difference to me what you say, I’ll get the same punishment.”

She could see him rolling his eyes just from her imagination. “Would you like a lift?”

Airlea contemplated it, eyes looking at her hands. A shadow threw itself across the window and it grabbed her attention. “It’s fine Ignis.” She stated as she stared at the figure who the shadow belonged to. “I know someone who can get me in.”

“And who’s that, may I be so inclined?”

“ _Audacia Sicarius of the Dragoons._ ”

* * *

“So after all these years of hating me, you’re actually accepting my help?”

Airlea stopped climbing the ladder of the city wall, which was undergoing well needed repairs, and looked at her older sister, aquamarine eyes meeting stormy grey. “Would you sooner I ignored you for the rest of your life?”

“Of course not.” Audacia, so named for her boldness, retorted as she looked up at the younger sibling. “Though it would have been nice if you read my letters.”

Airlea continued climbing. “Would have been nice if you actually told us where you were going. Especially your boyfriend at the time. Think about all the drama and heartbreak that would have lessened.”

There was an audible sigh. “Don’t bring him into it.”

“He was already a part of it, Audacia. You left him more in the dark than me and I had to tell him that you and just left.” She reached the top of the city wall. “Think about how that must have felt for him to hear, how hard it was for me to even find the words. It drove our grandparents to separation. You leaving screwed over the family that was already struggling from the death of our father.”

“Stop blaming me for everything, Airlea. You weren’t helping anything.” She joined her sister.

“’Weren’t helping’? I was working three jobs to not only pay for myself, but for Audax and helping towards food and drink. Grampa had to go back to work just to pay for the bills. What money we had was sucked dry by two funerals, a divorce and a fine for you not showing up to your exams.  _That’s_ what happened because you pissed off to the Vesperpool without telling anyone. Because as far as we knew, you  _ran away from home._ And that’s why I hate you.”

Airlea took a deep breath in an attempt to control herself, to stop herself from exploding in anger and anguish as the memories of the hardships came crashing against the cliff faces behind. She examined the destruction of the city, heart clenching tightly in her chest. Fires raged and the empire slaughtered people, screams of pain and grief echoing in the breeze and attacking her like a knife piercing her skin and burying itself into her soul.

There was no time to waste. “Audacia, what made you return?”

“I heard Insomnia was going to be attacked. I left the dragoons so I could find you. Make sure you were safe from harm. But… by the time I arrived at the road block between Duscae and Leide…it had already begun.”

“But you still found me…” Airlea looked at the older female. “And you helped me get here. Insomnia is still your home?”

“Always will be.”

She sighed again and gazed upon the citadel. “I still don’t trust you, but hearing that is… good enough for me. Try to get me into the citadel. With any luck I can protect the crystal.”

“To do so would kill you, Airlea. You’re not supposed to protect it. You’re supposed to protect Noct. That’s your duty.”

“And so’s letting the King die? So’s letting the crystal fall into enemy hands? If I can stop it, I can give people enough time to get to safety before the crystal is taken. If I can make the enemy pull back –“

“Airlea, listen to me.” Audacia took her sister by the shoulders, forcing her to look her way. “The empire will strike you down quicker than you can say ‘Gods save the King’.”

“I don’t – “

“Don’t give me any of your ‘I don’t care crap’! I’ll get you into the citadel so long as you stay by my side.”

“How do I know that you won’t kill me yourself!?”

“Because I left to protect  _you,_ Airlea!” She breathed heavily, eyes narrowed. “I left to keep our brother’s attention off you and Noct for as long as I possibly could. His duty is to kill the chosen one. It is said that one day you and him will have a great battle on the eve of arrival. Should it be before the empire will strengthen and Lucis will be weakened.”

“Arrival of what!?”

“How should I know? I’m not one of the six – although I wish I was.” Audacia let go of Airlea, who proceeded to roll her shoulders. “Just…trust me. Alright?”

Airlea nodded. There wasn’t much else she could do but accept her sister’s offer. As much as she didn’t want to trust the twenty three year old, she could remember a time where everything she did had a reason, no matter the cost.

With a deep breath, she summoned her bow and some rope. With ease, she  connected the rope to an arrow and notched it to her bow. “Some of these on buildings have notches where they used to hang clothes on ropes to dry. If I can get the arrow into one of them, then I can swing to the building.”

“You know, as a responsible adult I must ask: have you done this before?”

“Nope.” She aimed and fired the arrow, not realising that the rope was circled around her ankle.

“So how do you know this is going to work and be completely pain free?”

“No such thing as pain freeeeee.” Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, Airlea had been dragged off via the rope, now tightly clinging onto her ankle. As bullets fired in her direction, she knew there was no sneaking about now. Quickly, she pulled herself up, bracing her body for impact.

_Snap!_

“Shit ~” The rope snapped and she flailed her arms for something or someone in the faint hope of being pulled to safety. At this point she didn’t care if the boys had arrived to find her. She just wanted to be pulled up.”

A hand grabbed her arm and he followed suit, helping the person pull her up by walking up the wall with her feet. Upon arrival at the roof, she rolled onto her back and looked up only to find her sister and none other than the Marshal looking down at her.

“Sicarius –“

Airlea gasped. “I know I should be wit Noct and Ignis and Gladio and Prompto but I couldn’t sleep and – “

“Slow down.” He said, sternly.

She sighed. “I couldn’t sleep. I saw the smoke. Ignis heard the rumours. I chose to investigate. I only told Ignis because the others would have had a go at me and Noct would have made one heck of a scene with Prompto.”

She heard Audacia laugh. “Those two still have a crush on you I see.”

“I’m not their hearts. I don’t know.” Airlea sighed. “Anyways, so Audacia helped get me in and then I  _tried_ to be sneaky but I made a rookie mistake and my ankle kinda got stuck in a rope.”

The marshal sighed. “You’re here now. And alive. We could use your help.”

“I need to get into the citadel. See the King – “

“The King has no time.”

“Not for a meeting, Cor. But to actually help him escape! If I can save one person – “

“He. Has. No. Time.”

“You’re just giving up on him!?” Airlea spat in disdain. “Just like that, huh? Not even going to try? What crownsguard member are you?”

“Airlea, shut up and get going.” Audacia spoke sternly, stopping her from continuing. “Go do what you can. Me and Cor will start the evac.”

“But – “

“You know the secret entrances better than anyone.” Audacia helped Airlea onto her feet. “Now go. Before you’re too late.”

Airlea nodded and quickly turned towards the citadel, running as quickly as she could, leaving the others behind without looking back.

* * *

Now, Airlea was alone, separated between a barrier from the King and, beyond that, Luna and one of the Glaive. Nyx, if she recalled. And with the king wasn’t just his killer, but her older brother. He was dressed in a wine coat, a black cloak with a crimson underside with black leggings and knee high boots. Furthermore, his dark brown - almost black – hair came down to his shoulder blades and his hazel eyes were filled with arrogance whilst a smirk adorned his face, embroided with stubble.

She glared at him and he looked right back at her, longsword hanging at his right side.

“Just one more Lucian royal to go.” His voice was deeper than she remembered. “I wander if you could tell me where he is, dear sister.”

She spat at the ground as he approached. “Go to hell, pawn of Ifrit.”

He feigned pain from her words. “Was that really necessary?”

“It made me feel a little tiny weensy bit better. So yes it was.” She braced her face against the barrier. “If you think I’m going to tell you Noct’s location, Crudelis, you are mistaken. I’m not the type of person to betray the crown because of pettiness.”

“So when he’ll yell at you, break your heart, you won’t hate him?”

“He has more problems on his shoulders than I do. I respect that and understand it. My job is to lessen it, starting by removing you from this kingdom.”

“The Kingdom that won’t have a king for a very long time.” His eyes flickered from her left eye to her right, tone malicious and calculating. Evil.

She laughed, practically scoffing. “He  _will_ ascend and  _you_ can’t stop him no matter how hard you try.”

“We’ll see about that, Airlea. You won’t have that fraction of the crystal’s power for very long.” He chuckled. “I wonder how quickly you’ll fall without it…”

Airlea growled as soon as the barrier fell, summoning her longsword. “You won’t be alive to find out.”

She started running towards him, sword poised, ready for a strike. But when she swung, he blocked it easily. “Tsk tsk tsk. Now now, you can’t go rushing into things like that. Am I right, Majesty?”

“Crudelis.” The face that replaced the oracle was now stood behind her brother. “It’s time.”

“Hmph.” Crudelis lowered his blade. “Until next we meet.” He sheathed his blade and walked away, leaving her breathing heavily in both anger and shock.

Airlea looked to the floor and closed her eyes, biting her lower lip to stop it from quivering… then she heard it. A small mumble, barely audible at first. Her name…spoken in a dying breath… The King… There was still a chance he could be saved.

She collapsed to her knees, blade falling to the floor, beside the dying man. Airlea placed a hand on his shoulder, rolling him onto his back. “Shh.” She spoke quietly when he grimaced. “You’ll be okay. I can still get you out of here, save you…”

“There is no time…”

“No. I can do this. I know a shortcut. I can get you to Galdin, let you see Noct at least one more time – “

“Airlea.” He grabbed her hand, catching her attention, drawing it away from his injuries and to his face. “You know I cannot go. You must do what you can to keep Noctis safe. Do what I could not and protect him from harm. Protect him from what a shield cannot save him from.”

Airlea felt her lip quiver, her hands shaking in the dying King’s grasp, eyes scorching from behind. “No…” She whispered as she looked down to the floor, scared that if she spoke any louder she would be hard to understand. “I can’t lose you, too… you were like a second father to me… I can’t… go through that again.”

“You can.” Regis tilted her chin to look back at him. She could see a gentle, pained smile on his lips, feel the warmth of his palm on her cheek. “When you’re back’s against the wall, don’t let it stop you. Use it.”

Airlea nodded and grasped his hand. “I… I’ll try.”

“I know.” And he gently brought her to him, rubbing her back soothingly. “I know you will do better than try. You’re a succeeder. And you will succeed.”

The assassin let her tears fall, let her shoulders shake as she let the truth of the situation sink in. There was no way he was going to live. His injuries were too severe and putting further stress upon his body would only allow him to deteriorate quicker.

“Come stop your crying it will be alright. Just take my hand, squeeze it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I’ll be here, don’t you cry.” She caught him humming gently and found herself smiling sadly… she hadn’t heard it since she was small, a nine year old girl seeking answers about her older brother’s disappearance. It was a tune she often found herself humming or singing whenever she needed a motivational boost. But now… it was one of comfort. A way of easing the passing of life into the beyond. A source of soothing any pain that may cause distress in  place of peace.

“You’ll be in my heart, Yes, you’ll be in my heart. From this day on, now and forever more.” When she felt his final breath upon her hair, felt his grip loosen. She took a deep breath and sat up, running her fingers across his eyes to close them. “Farewell, King Regis. Rest in peace.” She stood and crossed an arm over her chest, bowing gently, knowing full well that he was no longer the only person in the room.

“I tried to keep you here in order to ease his passing. So he wouldn’t be alone. Like father…” It was Audacia who spoke. “I trust you are well enough to aid us? Cor’s waiting.”

Airlea nodded. “I… I should be. What do you need help with?”

“We need to get Iris and some of the crownsguard to Lestallum. Cor’s heading to Hammerhead. After all, the Prince needs to start collecting his royal arms. He’s essentially King now.”

“I can’t. I must return to Noctis’ side and help him continue this journey.”

“Cor says you ‘left your duty when you came to Insomnia’.” The female sighed softly. “You’ll meet up with them in due time. For now, there’s a blockade between here and our escape. Once you’ve got them to the other side, Cor will contact you to be the force that strikes from behind.”

“Just me, huh?”

“Apparently so. I hope you’re going to be the cavalry needed. Cor states that doing so will cause less frustration but double the damage to the empire, showing them the true power of a Sicarius.”

“Okay. I’ll just have to let Noct know.” As she spoke, she reached into her back pocket, feeling her phone vibrate. It was a phone call from none other than the Prince himself. She answered. “Yes?”

“What the hell was going through your head?”

Airlea gulped, knowing that angered tone anywhere. “I needed to know what was – “

“It doesn’t matter. Just get out of there quickly. Reinforcements are headed your way and the roads are blockaded. Cor says they’re trying to find old maps to block all possible entrances. I’ll be waiting for you at the hill overlooking the city and keeping you posted. So keep your phone on and  _don’t you dare put it on silent._ ”

“Wasn’t planning it. But I won’t be able to stay for very long, Cor also suggests I help get Iris past the blockade for safe passage to Lestallum.”

“They’re awaiting you at the Prairie outpost with Monica and a few hunters. Now get out of the citadel before they lock you in.”

“Thanks for the heads up. Might lose signal the way we’re going, so I’ll call you before then.” Airlea ended the call and put her phone in her pocket. “Looks like we’re heading to the sewers.”

“Great. The Sewers. I remember going on a school trip there once. It was very interesting to know how it all worked, but it wasn’t nice when someone pointed out there was a – “

“Audacia, please shut up.”


	3. 02 - Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon the death of King Regis, Airlea is at a loss, torn between staying or leaving whilst her emotions run rampant…

Going through the sewers wasn’t exactly the best solution to leaving the city, but it was the only option they had which was far safer than jumping off the wall… At least going through the sewers meant you could traverse through the tunnels and find your way across all of Lucis.

Once upon a time, these sewers had been used for smuggling purposes, signs that were a century old still going strong despite the horrid air. Though Airlea couldn’t complain even if she wanted to, because they were a life saver.

“Sure you’re all good with smelling like sewage?”

“Audacia, smelling bad is the least of my worries. So long as we get out of here in one piece, I have no care in the world about how I smell or look. I have spare clothes and it’s nothing that a quick stop at the motel won’t fix.”

Airlea shimmied across the wall. The King was dead. The Glaive was long eradicated. Insomnia had fallen. She had no idea where her Grampa and little brother was… She didn’t have a father figure to turn to anymore. It was just her and her thoughts. Admittedly, her sister was there… but she didn’t  _want_ to consult in her. Sure, she hadn’t done anything bad  _yet,_ but she still had a crap tonne of explaining to do. And, until then, she wasn’t fully trusted.

“There they are! The assassin and traitor!”

How she felt in that moment, was a way she hadn’t felt in a long time.

* * *

_“Airlea, no matter how far away from you I am, I will always be here with you.”_

_The young girl, no more than the age of five, frowned. “Daddy, you won’t. You’ll be out dare” She pointed a finger toward the gateway leading to the city surrounding the Citadel, the steps in which she was stood on with her father kneeling in front of her._

_He merely laughed and showed a bright smile, grey-blue eyes narrowed with crow’s feet crinkling faintly jut below his eyes as his simples showed. His hair, a chestnut brown, framed his face with the strands ending at his jaw, stubble lining his jaw and upper lip. He looked kind, yet sincere. Honest and trustworthy. For what his job entailed, he looked like he could pass off as an aristocrat_

_“I won’t be with you in person. But I will be with you in here.” He rested his palm upon her chest, feeling her heartbeat patter against his hand. “Remember, King Regis and Grampa will look after you, okay?”_

_The pouty toddler shook her head and clung to her father. “I want you to stay here, daddy.”_

_“I would if I could. However,” He exchanged a glance with the King, who smiled kindly with his own son being held in one of his arms, and nodded. “A Sicarius is the King’s blade and is sworn to protect their best friend from a distance. One day, you will do the same for Noctis.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Until that day, I must protect all three of you. And that is the greatest honour.”_

_“I want to go with you….”_

_“It’s a very dangerous world out there with the war. You will see it soon enough, sweetpea.”_

_She sniffed and pulled away from him, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her white cardigan. “Okay, daddy. Stay safe…”_

_He saluted. “Yes, Ma’am.” He chuckled and kissed her forehead before standing to bow at the King._

_“Good luck out there, Letalis.” The King put a hand on her father’s shoulder. “Remember: don’t – “_

_“-Go after trouble. I know, Regis. I say Trust me when I say ‘I’ll be fine’.”_

_“And then you’ll come home covered in bruises.” The King smiled. “Just stay safe. For Airlea.”_

_“And you stay safe for Noct. No getting drunk, no tripping up the stairs – “_

_Regis chuckled. “Yeah, yeah. Of you go. Have fun.”_

_Airlea looked away then, refusing to watch her father walk down the citadel steps and get into one of the King’s many cars. She refused with a huff and a sniff, turning her head with her arms crossed over her chest, eyes shut tightly as she felt them well up with pained tears…_

_She couldn’t handle all the pain and grief that came. She didn’t want to imagine the day she’d hear ‘you father’s dead’ but that was all her heart allowed her to imagine. It was all her body would let her feel. And it sucked. Honestly, it did._

_Sure, she had people around her who she knew would give her some sort of comfort. But, really, that did nothing to ease any of her worries that penetrated deep into her soul._

_“Airlea…”_

_She turned her body away from the concerned prince, drowsy due to awaking from his nap. She didn’t want him to see her in such a state, worrying about her problems. He already had a lot to prepare for, and preparing for her tears wasn’t going to settle it._

_Yet her sniff’s became more common and she found herself sitting on the floor, rubbing at her eyes frantically like she could stop the tears from falling. But she quickly gave up in frustration at her inability to do so and allowed her shoulders to shake._

_She heard gentle footsteps and the rustling of a cloak being sat upon, the soft clang of sword on stone and a groan of desperation coming from a young toddler as he broke free from his father’s grasp._

_When no more noise could be heard, Airlea looked up from her lap only for her gaze to meet Noct’s concerned one. She rose her brow in confusion and the young prince looked slightly to his right. She followed his gaze to see Regis sat cross-legged beside her._

_“Come here.” His tone was gentle as he opened an arm. She saw the faint smile and she cuddled up to the King awkwardly. “Your dad will come back safe and sound, Airlea.”_

_She looked up at the King. Her eyes strained and red from crying, her nose running profusely. She sniffed, and blinked, tears clinging to the ends of her lashes. The King was kind. She knew that for a fact. She was often excited to go to the citadel, happy to see the King and his son. He never frowned when she clung to his leg to hide from her father or Noct when playing hide and seek. He never scowled at her or yelled. He simply warned her, gave her a chance to stop what she was doing if it was wrong…_

_“But…he’s going into a unsafe place… he migh’ die out dare…” She felt her shoulders shake again, her speech breaking into barely audible phrase… “An’…den I won’t have a…a daddy…” She buried her face into his chest. “Or…someone to….save me….like in va stowies….”_

_“We’ll keep you safe. Wight, Daddy?” She felt a small hand on her shoulder and felt the king move slightly to accommodate Noctis in his lap as he lifted her onto his thigh, also. And the small hand soon turned into a pair of arms and an extra body to comfort her._

_Regis chuckled gently, his chest vibrating slightly. “That I will, Noctis.”_

_“But – “_

_“When you are older and much taller, nearly as big as me, you’ll be able to protect her. And Airlea will be able to protect you.”_

_“I only wan’ her to let me pwotect her, daddy..”_

_“The bond between our two families will not allow one to protect the other whilst the other sits in wait. We must protect each other. She will be your blade when your time comes.”_

_Airlea looked at Noct with a small smile and poked his cheek, fuller from his pout, and then booped his nose. She giggled when he crinkled his nose and she released the King in favour of her best friend. “Ai pwomise I will save you from va bad people.”_

_“Me too.”_

_She grinned. “We should get each other pwomise wings… because we have made a pwomise…”_

_Regis only chuckled at her statement, causing her to send a glare his way._

_“Wha’s funny?”_

_“You two are the cutest things to have graced this world. “_

* * *

“Hey. Sleepyhead.”

A slap to the back of her hand drew her out of her thoughts, the sun beating down upon her face. Audacia was stood in front of her, a stern scowl embedded into her features. Her brows were furrowed, a crease forming between her eyes. Airlea sighed in annoyance, of course, and looked at her sister.  
“What is it?”

“Dammit, Airlea. I thought you were gonna die out there: zoning out like that when imperials had discovered us. You’re lucky the guys found us, you know.”

“Wait. What?” It her turn to furrow her brows now, confusion ebbed onto  her face.  

“You were shot. Took a bullet to your ribcage. The impact caused you to collapse.”

“Gave us quite the scare.” Ignis’ voice interrupted Audacia as he approached. A cup of cold, fresh juice in his hand. “Especially Noct.”

She looked up and the cup from the strategist. “I doubt it.”

“You should have seen him, Sis. He was the one who caught you mid-fall.” Audacia sat beside her in the rocky outcrop. She was silent for a while before she leant forward. “He blames himself you know. Thinks he did something wring, perhaps. I mean, you didn’t utter a goodbye –“

“Neither did you to Ignis. I don’t want your advice about how to deal with goodbyes because yours is just don’t say one and never return.”

“And you nearly became that, Airlea.” Audacia sighed. “I don’t blame you for hating me, but actually realise that five years on I’ve grown and learnt from my mistakes. I didn’t leave for you to do the same thing five years later.”

“I told Ignis where I was going. But you? You told  _no one._ Not me, not Grandpa. Not Grandma. Not our cousin. Not our uncle. Not Ignis. Just an empty room. A broken phone.” Airlea took a swig of juice. “You leaving…was the worse thing that happened to this family…” She stood then and began to head in the direction of Hammerhead, turning her back to the rubble of the city and friendship.

“Where you going?” He sister called.

“Top of the cliff. I need to know where Iris and such are.” She didn’t bother looking back.

* * *

Airlea sighed as she sat atop the cliff, a small fire lit beside her. She looked at the moon, hung directly over Insomnia, losing herself in it’s silvery hues, illuminating the citadel. It looked eerier now, dark and cold. Empty. No warm memories. Only the knowledge that a King lay dead inside, betrayal evident in his eyes once all kindness left among a heavy breeze such as the one she sat in.

She huddled as tightly into a ball as she could, a blanket her father had meant to give her for her journey wrapped around her shoulders. It was a dark red, the Sicarius coat of arms – a wolf and a lion stood tall and proud in front of the Citadel – sewn neatly in the corners. It ended up being given to her by her Grampa just before she left home for the Citadel that fateful morning, tears in his eyes at how much she had grown…

She found herself humming gently, gripping the blanket tightly around her form as the wind blew through her hair. She was cold, her heart was cold… she hid herself as if she was trying to cover the heart she wore on her sleeve, keeping it from view.

“Come stop your crying it will be alright…” She sung quietly, sniffing once to swallow thickly. “Just take my hand, hold it tight… I will protect you from all around you… I will be here don’t you cry…”

She tilted her head back, blinking fervently at the pitter-patter of raindrops upon her face. The Sicarius sighed and huddled into her ball tighter…. She had no coat…no tent… Just her, and a blanket.

She felt the warmth of the fire begin to ebb away into the night… She looked at it and allowed the cloak to fall from her shoulders as she attempted to add more dry wood and grass onto the pile… but it was no good…

Another gust of wind came and she attempted to reach for her blanket. The only thing of her father she had left. She reached frantically chasing after it until she could go no further through fear of falling even further out of reach…

She cried out in frustration, the anger and sadness she had bottled up inside her leaving like lava spewing from a volcano. Hot tears fell down her cheeks as she kicked the firewood with an angered grunt.

“Why do you torment us!?” She yelled at no one in particular, aiming he angered shouts at the rain clouds covering the moon and stars. “Why do you rob us of any happiness we have!?”

Her throat was sore and dry as she sat back down on the floor. Yet still she cried. Silently. Her sobs almost inaudible…

“Why do you make us believe in the nothing you bribe us with?”

She hung her head down low, the rain falling down her hair as it parted, each strand embracing each other…

She was just about ready to stand when a damp material covered her shoulders. Soon followed by a heavier jacket.  Beside her, she hear the rustling of clothes, the click of a knee and a faint grunt. A knee touched hers and remained as she held the blanket and jacket around her shoulders. Amidst the smell of rain on a summer’s day, she could smell that familiar Noctis scent from his jacket. And she frowned.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“…A little.”

“Then…” She began to remove his jacket but he stopped her. “Noct, I don’t want you…” She began to speak but she soon found the prince shoulder to shoulder with her, sharing both her blanket and his jacket.

“Compromise made.” He declared gently, voice quiet. “Thought you might of wanted the blanket back… I found it on the floor. Then I had this crazy lady yelling and thought I should follow the sound…”

Airlea nodded. “Thank you…”

Another silence ensued. This time, however, her thoughts went to no where in particular. She subconsciously brought her hand to her side and winced slightly. She figured it wasn’t anything dreadfully serious, just something she needed to be wary of whilst it was in it’s final healing stage. That was the good thing about hi-potions.

She turned her head to look at Noct, actually do more than acknowledge his presence. His profile was just as it usually was, though his hair was flattened by the rain. Water also splattered and rolled on his face, rivers of rain streaming from his hair and over his facial structure. Hs nose and ears were red from the wind chill, his eyes glassed over as if he was still recovering from grief.

“Were you planning to leave without saying goodbye again?”

His question was tinted with sadness, pain…anger. “No.” She assured. “I just wanted a few hours alone…so I could let go of any grief before I head to Hammerhead. I was gonna call you… leave a voice mail – “

“That’s not ‘goodbye.’ That’s ‘no return’….” Noctis looked at her and, for a brief moment, she saw his soul screaming in pain. “That’s what we decided when my father began getting weaker…”

“I know but…I didn’t want to wake you for the sake of two seconds… You need sleep more than the rest of us.” She sighed again. “Noct, I – “

“Don’t worry about it.” He looked away, a frown falling onto his face. “Cor’s asked you to do something important and that’s what you’ll do. I know you’d only do it if you thought it was for the best…

“Sorry…” She stood then, slipping out of his jacket. “It appears it’s a good time for me to head over to Hammerhead, meet up with Audacia and Iris. Get them to safety…”

“…Yeah…”

“So… I’ll see you… on the other side of the desert. Good luck out there, Noct.”

“You, too, Airlea…. You, too.”


	4. 03 - Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reflection is important and happy moments make things so much easier. For Noct, however, something that is supposed to make him smile unleashes a feeling of guilt, yet he finds himself taking on his father’s advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this does jump a bit because I didn’t want to touch on the main game too much. Now, things should start getting intense next chapter, as a warning. And when I say intense, I do not mean 18+. Just a little less stoic and more…explaining?

_“All you need to do is speak to the camera.”_

_“I know that but…what do you want me to say?”_

_“Just let Noct know how you feel towards him, your Majesty. I’m sure he’d appreciate it.”_

_Regis sat in the garden, elbow on the table whilst his gaze shot just above the camera. “And how on Eos am I supposed to shorten everything down into five minutes?”_

_“You don’t need to. I’ll have multiple of these. A different one to show him when I feel like he’s forgetting the happy times..” Airlea assured the King. “Aaaaaand – “_

_“Wait… let me just – “_

_“Action!”_

_Regis hurriedly sat up slightly and looked into the camera, lost in thought  for a brief moment before he sighed slightly._  
  
“Noctis, I know I haven’t been much of a father for many years now, at least, not the father I could once be. I also know that apologising won’t change the past, the present, or the future. But, I want you to know, that you mean everything to me.”

_“To watch you grow as I have done, has been both a blessing and a curse. I haven’t been there with you when you have needed me, haven’t been able to wish you a happy birthday or a merry Christmas, haven’t been able to be with you as you grow. Yet, watching has almost… taught me many things about you. Things I may never have known if we were closer…”_

_“Remember the bedtime stories I used to tell you? Every day I looked forward to sitting down and reading to you. I always tell you not to skip meetings, but I **always** skipped meetings – no matter how important they were – to tell you a story, to make sure you got to sleep.”_

_“And when you started growing up, when I couldn’t skip meeting to read to you anymore, I always knocked on your bedroom door and let myself in. I wanted to say goodnight to you even if you couldn’t hear me. Even then, I always hoped you’d cling to me like you did many years before that. And when you did, I knew that no matter how far apart we are, you would **always** be my light in a dark place.”_

_A sadness crossed over his face as he spoke again. “There will come a day when I won’t be here anymore. And you’ll be on the road, having fun. I know you will mourn over me but, please, Noct, allow yourself to smile. When you have your back against the wall, don’t let it hold you back. Use it to move forward. I will always be with you, my son. Even if you don’t want me. Because… I love you.”_

* * *

Noct’s closed his eyes then, phone in hand whilst he listened to the video in the back of the Regalia. Airlea had so kindly downloaded it onto his phone before she left, saying that it was meant to make him smile…

But it didn’t. Because all it did was make the wound burn with regret and guilt. All these years he had worried continuously over his father, yet somewhere he also resented him for not being there, for not caring. He distinctly remembered saying that he ‘doesn’t care’ the night he was attacked. The night his father saved his life… His father truly did care but he was just so busy…

He respected him more now, understood what he must have been going through, knowing that this would happen. He was truly protecting him like any father would… but who could he protect? The others didn’t really need protecting, they bounced off each other with ease…

Noctis clenched his jaw –  _I will always love you. My son._ – And he broke down silently, turning his head to watch the scenery pass as dusk began to fall, not wanting anyone to know that he was more than upset…

“She knew it was going to happen?” Prompto asked openly. “I mean, all of this…”

Ignis nodded. “Every Sicarius since the birth of the prophecy has none. Or, so legend has it. Airlea never knew until the day after Noct’s encounter with a daemon. The god’s had spoken to her in her sleep, so she says.”

“Airlea is many things. But she’s easy to read. Always struggled to lie.” Gladio joined the conversation as he turned a page in his book. “Tell her to look into your eyes and she’ll burst out laughing unless you really mean sumthin’ to her.”

Prompto turned in his seat. “So, did you know?”

The shield shook his head. “She wasn’t allowed to tell anyone. Promised both the King and her father. Said the god’s would punish her if she did. Thought dad might know about it. He was just as clueless as the rest of us.”

“So what are your thoughts about it Noct?” Noct remained silent. “Dude. Pleeeeaaase.”

He soon sighed and shrugged his shoulders.  “What thoughts are there to have?” He rested his chin in the palm of his hand. “It’s not gonna change anything. It still happened and it still would have happened even if we all knew.”

Everyone returned to silence then, thinking about the day just gone and the days that were to appear in the future. Imperials had began to dot themselves across Lucis whenever they could, trying to stop them from getting  _somewhere_ that wasn’t close to the city, they had a duty to complete, even if Noct  _detested_ the idea of it.

He found himself wondering how she was… If Airlea was just as okay as she said she was. Wondering if she was safe and sound. He wanted her to be with them, giving motivational support just from being in their presence. He knew that if she was here with him when they retrieved the first royal arm, and the second for that matter, she would have put a hand on his shoulder, clap it once, then move to lean against the wall whilst he collected himself.

It was the small things that meant the most to him. As much as Noct appreciated her advice and the rare ‘you okay? Would you like me to get you anything?’, the best parts were him waking up with an extra blanket over him or the subtle checks she’d give to his back, which always made him grin smugly at her from over his shoulder if he as changing shirt, because there was nothing like absolutely mortifying someone in such way when he could feel their gaze burning at his back.

And the banter was just as shameless on her part. She often spoke up for him when he said ‘I do have muscle. You just can’t see it’ by going ‘He’s right, you know.’ How on earth she never looked mortified when the others looked at her was something he didn’t really want to know, but she’s just reply simply with ‘wounds to the spine never heal. Someone has to look out for his bones instead of just what injuries he has.’

And that? That was enough to make Noct smile. Even on the days where he was just fed up with the world. It was just small things that everyone did which allowed him to feel even more grateful. The small things meant so much more, and it wasn’t until the fall of Insomnia that he realised that.

“You miss her, right, Noct?” Prompto could see right through his furrowed brows and distant look.

“What? Miss who?” Noct shot his head up with wide eyes and looked at Prompto in confusion. Prompto clicked his fingers as he sung ‘I need you, Baby’. An inside joke. “Oh. You mean Airlea?” Prompto then nodded and Noct leaned bac into the seat. “Why do you ask?”

“Because you’re looking out the window with that worried look, thinking ‘It’s a quarter after….two, I’m being teased and I need you now’.” Prompto grinned.

“Ha. Think again.”

“Alright then, you have cute little feelings for her but you feel like you must hide them because you’re marrying Lunafreya.” Gladio joined in. “Or you’re feelings are very confusing.”

“Gladio, the answer is very simple. He’s still going through puberty.”

“Not you, too, specs.” Noctis groaned and covered his face with his hands. “I get enough of that from her Grandmother.” He looked out the window, face red.

“Bro, answer the question.” Prompto still wore a smile. Noct could hear it.

“…Is it a sin to miss someone?” He spoke to the no one in the breeze. “Is it such a bad thing to just know if she’s alive and safe?”

There was a brief silence, during which the car was parking at the Prairie outpost for the night, before Ignis broke the tranquillity of the night “Even if she was at this moment in time, she’d soon be out hunting.”

“Hopefully not daemons.” Prompto interjected. “We’re not there to make sure she does nothing reckless.”

“ _Reckless_ is her middle name.” He heard Ignis sigh. “We all worry. But for now, we rest up. We’re going to have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

* * *

_“Noct, I’m fine. Trust me.” A nine year old girl, just returned to Insomnia, was sat on his bed and just letting him look at the injury on her arm._

_“No you’re not, Airlea.” He looked up at her. “Why were out so late? Where was your dad?”_

_“We got separated, you worry wart.” Airlea attempted to pull her arm out of his grasp but he tightened his gip and pulled her forward a little too forcefully: she fell, bumped her head on his knee. But she didm’t complain or whine. Just stayed there, with her head now on his lap. “And I’m not going to see the nurses for something so small.”_

_The prince scoffed. “Small? The cut’s almost as long as your arm.”_

_“Don’t be dramatic. And my arm isn’t the length of my forearm. You sayin’ I have a stumpy arm?”_

_“What? No. I just for got the term. Now…” He looked around on his bed. There was a tube of anti-bacterial cream, a bowl of warm, salt water, cotton balls, a cloth, a small plastic bag and a note witten by both their fathers. It was simply instructions. “To clean the cut…_

_“I’m not letting you put that solution near me.” She was struggling and Noct simply wrapped his legs round her, keeping her still, and then took his blanket – which also laid haphazardly on the bed – and draped it over her body._

_“Yes. You are. Not my problem the nurse hates you. You did break that expensive equipment set six months ago.”_

_When Airlea pouted and visably relaxed, head now resting more comfortably on his belly, he dunked a cotton ball in the solution, squeezed out the excess, and began cleaning the wound as instructed. Noct felt her jaw tense, eyes clench shut, felt her breath hitch as she winced. So he gave her head a pat, her hair a ruffle and her nose a boop. She laughed at the ticklish sensation of the boop and he knew it was okay to continue._

_He made sure the wound was clean, going over the injury completely ten times with twenty cotton balls used over all, and each cotton ball went into the plastic bag, most of them covered in dirt and blood. “I need to wash my hands now so I can put on the cream.” He spoke gently and helped her sit up._

_“Do you need assistance?”_

_Noct shook his head as he stood. “I’ll be okay. I’ve been able to walk for a few weeks now. Nurse says I’m making a quicker recovery than expected…”_

_“Nope. I’m helping you.”_

_He stopped her from standing. “You have your own injuries to contend with. So let me do this, ‘kay?”_

_“Just…promise me you’ll let me know if you need something?”_

_Noct nodded and took her pinky with his and booped her nose again. “I will.”_

_…_

_When he returned from the bathroom a few minutes later, he held his arms up as got back on the bed, and an ‘oof’ escaped his lips as Airlea unintentionally threw herself back down._

_“Sorry.” She apologised and he smiled._

_“It didn’t hurt that much. Don’t be so dramatic.” He grinned brightly as she passed him the open tube of cream. He placed a dollop of it at one end of the cut and dotted the excess over it, making sure not to touch it with the tube._

_“Gone to repeating my words I see.”_

_“Thought ‘why not’.” Noctis began  rubbing the cream gently into the wound  and any other small cuts that were on her hands and shoulders. “This doesn’t sting does it?”_

_“No.” She replied casually. “Cream doesn’t sting.” She looked to the side. “Need any help with the bandage?”_

_“Nah. I got it.” With the cream now rubbed in, he took the end of the bandage and placed it neatly on the edge of the wound. He bandaged it up and slipped the excess into the fold of the fabric. “There we go. All sorted.”_

_Airlea looked at her arm and her voice was now groggy, a yawn passing her lips before she spoke. “A lot neater than the ones you do on yourself. But, I have a question.” She looked up at him. “Why did you do this and not let our parents argue with each other about who will?”_

_“Well, um, I, er…” Her felt his cheeks redden. “I thought I should try and, you know, be helpful since I haven’t been able to do a lot of stuff lately, and I… wanted to practice. Because, you never know what the future brings, right? I mean, one day we could be on a road trip and one of us could get injured and the other one would have to help. But, if I didn’t know what I was doing…”_

_“Aw. Thank you, Noct.” Airlea sat up and gave him a gentle hug. “You’re so sweet.”_

_“Um…you’re welcome.”_

_The door opened slightly the head of Airlea’s father popping in. “How’d it all go?”_

_“I think it went well.” Noct spoke whilst Airlea put a thumb up._

_The adult chuckled and smiled kindly. “Well, I suggest both of you wash your hands. Dinner will be served in about half an hour.”_

* * *

“Hey. Wakey wakey. Guess who’s on the phone.” Gladio’s voice was too loud and Noct just rolled over in complaint. “I think you need to wake him.  Count to five in your head.”

Noct shivered as the cold plastic  of the phone touched his ear.

“Noct…” The voice was gentle. “I can’t exatly boop your nose right now, but I will if you don’t – “

He grabbed the phone and sat up quickly, eyes wide. “Airlea, why did you call Gladio?”

She laughed. “Good morning to you, too. Anyways, I called Gladio because you phone was off, Prompto never picked up and with what the time is Ignis would have been busy cooking. And Gladio’s up early.”

Noctis relaxed a little. “Sorry. It was dying and my charger stopped working.” He sreached out then for his boots. “Anyway, you and the others safe?”

“They’re safe and sound. I’m just coming down now. Following orders and all that.”

“Wait, no. You turn around and head back to – “

“And let you have all the fun? I think not.” She spoke playfully, trying to get a reactio“But I suppose if you insist…”

“No. Don’t.” He spoke a little louder than he should but he quietened when the others looked at him. “I mean…”

She laughed. “I know, I know.” There was a brief silence. “Hey, Noct?”

“Hm?”

“When this is over, I, um, I have…something to tell you.”

Noct felt his heart jump. “Yeah? Same here.”

“Well, that’s okay then.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, when you get inside the base Cor will be awaiting you, as Monica has probably told you, and a little further in Audacia’s gonna be there too. For now, she’s gonna be part of the guard – not my idea, mind you. Cor allowed it. Anyway, don’t smack her around too much. That’s my job. Alright?”

“Yeah.”

“And another thing,” He could hear her smile. “Don’t get yourself hurt. I –“ He raised a brow, hearing a bone chilling scream. “I’m gonna be a little late. I need to check it out.”

“Wait, what? Don’t leave me hanging for too long or I will take all the fun. And for all you know it could lead to –“

“Caelum, trust in me.” She was serious. “I’ll be there alright? Just making sure we don’t have any unwanted visitors being attracted to the destruction.”

He sighed. “Okay. Just be careful, Sicarius.”

“You, too.”

Noct pulled the phone away from his ear as soon as the call was cut and handed it back to Gladio, averting his gaze as he did so.

“How’d the flirting go?” The big guy joked with a grin.

“It wasn’t ‘flirting’, Gladio. We were conversing.”

“Sounded serious. She okay?” Prompto kneeled down next to him.

“Oh yeah. She’s okay. Just saving cute animals from scary monsters again. And then she’s gonna come down to the blockade and give us a hand.”

Ignis nodded and passed the Prince his breakfast. “And her sister?”

“Waiting within.” He looked up at Ignis, noting that his hair wasn’t as crisp as normal. “Um, you have a strand that‘s out of place.”

“That one’s being unruly today.” He straightened. “Good to hear that everyone’s safe and sound.”

“But, er –“

“That  _is_ the case, is it not?”

“No. That is the case.” Noct assured. “You sure you’re fine, Specs? You jittery today.”

“He hasn’t had his ebony yet. We’ve ran out and we can’t get any until this blockade is down.”

“Ah.” Noct understood now. Though he did have varying suspicions. Ever since Audacia made a return, he had been… different. Not himself. And something told him unwanted memories had come back.

* * *

Sweat began to drip down is face, arms and legs aching. Noct rolled out the way of a torpedo, the heat from the blast like lava against his back. From where he was now, he took a quick glance at the back entrance. Nothing.

“Highness, you might want to duck.”

He spun round quickly and rolled out the way again, allowing the older Sicarius to block an almost fatal attack.  The battlefield was a mess. Everyone was tiring, breathing heavily, messing up some of the easiest moves. Prompto was on the floor, drinking heavily from his water bottle.

Noct felt a heavy breeze wash over him, felt the atmosphere around him change. It grew heavier, almost crushing. He quickly looked up and saw Airlea walking forward, her sword upon her shoulder. “Well, well. Hello, Magitech thing.”

“Ah. Another Sicarius. Only, the more important one.” And that guy – whatever his name was – spoke again. “Would you give me the pleasure of killing all of you.”

“Nah. How about I kill you.”

“That’s not – “

“Ta ta.” She threw the sword, now charged with a hefty amount of electricity, and it struck the enemy.

Noct saw her reach out her hand towards him, calling out orders to Audacia and Cor, and he took it tightly. He was surprised with how easily she pulled him up. But there was no time for wondering. He ran as quickly as his aching muscles could allow him too.

“Audacia…”

“There’s no time. He’s going quicker than we assumed. Just duck!”

“What do you mean ‘just duck’ I’m not ducking! I have -”

Noctis had enough at that point in time. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down as he dropped. Their legs became a knotted mess together, arms linked and sheltering the others as a wave of ‘oofs’ and a blast from behind appeared.

When the smoke settled and the heat dispersed, Noct lifted his head and slipped his arm from Airlea’s. He looked at her for a brief moment and shook her shoulder. “Airlea…”

“Mmm.” She grumbled and slowly began to move. “Ow. I think my nose is broken. She sat up quickly, wincing then. “Ow. Too many legs. I think my bruises have bruises right now.”

Noct freed his legs and sat up as well. “Don’t be so dramatic.” He took her hand and helped her up gently. But the concerned look in her gaze as her eyes lingered on his cheek, made him shy. “What?”

“Nothing. Just need to clean that cut later. For now, we need to head to Lestallum. Before my cousin threatens to murder me for not answering her calls.” She shrugged. “And you need a full body check just in case  you have any more injuries.”

“I don’t , Airlea. Don’t be such a worrywart.”

“I’m gonna worry, Noct.” She booped his nose. “Now come on. We have work to do.”


	5. 04 - Explaining

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is perfect, but things are often better when communication is top notch. Of course, things can still work. So long as their is mutual understanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was mainly here to portray a different side to the couple. I do promise though that things should be getting less jumpy from chapter 5 onwards.
> 
> Please comment you emotions whilst reading this. It would mean a great deal.
> 
> PLUS I’m trying to find songs for this couple. So far She by Elvis Costello is the only one that speaks to me. If you have any, lemme know.

By the time they reached Lestallum, it was dusk, the night coming in quicker during this uncertain time. Noct watched the scenery pass, eyes narrowed from the sun shining into his eyeballs. It…wasn’t right. It wasn’t right how everything just collapses quickly once the supports are gone. His father was that support, not only for Lucis and himself, but also for Airlea. When her father died, her mother soon followed. And with the rest of her family in ruins and with him being put through his bases in training, she went to his father. Asked him not to tell anyone until she was degrading herself.

And that was  _exactly_ what he did…

_An argument had just occurred between her and him, Noct’s face red from anger, chest tight and throat dry whilst he shook with frustration. It was over something so trivial, but to her it was something big: an exam. Not just any exam, but the assassin one. It was a simple test, not the real thing, just a small taste of what it was  like, and it wasn’t something she had never done before. But just Noct saying ‘do it once the school year’s over so you have more time’ led to a massive misunderstanding on her part._

_And it made his hairs stand on end._

_“Noct,” Nearly silent steps appeared from behind, the voice of his father echoing in the empty ballroom. “Don’t you think you should go after her?”_   
  


_“She’ll only throw a punch at me if I do. I’ll check on her once she’s calmed down.” He stared at the door which finally slammed shut. And he flinched. “It’s better that way.” When he turned to walk in the opposite direction she left in, his father was stood in front of him, almost toe to toe. “What? You expect me to catch a fireball in my bare hands?”_

_But Regis only smiled. “Of course not, Noctis. But it would put you in her good books if you did.”_

_“Pfft. It should be the other way round…. Where’s her father? I need to ask him to…” The air grew a little heavier and the prince looked up at his father. “Dad, where is he? He should have returned by now… Right?”_

_The King walked towards the nearby window and looked out of it with a distant look in his eyes, pain twisting his features to create a great sadness. “I am afraid he will not return home as we know it. His opponent bested him and returned to us his cloak.”_

_“The same one you gave him when he became an assassin?”_

_“That’s the one. The black linen is covered with blood. We hope that it isn’t all his.”_

_Noctis felt a pang of guilt. “And… does she…”_

_“She only knows that he is dead. The rest we are keeping quiet. She’s struggling enough as it is. The council thinks it would be best to tell her, but I disagree.”_

_Noct nodded and he swallowed thickly. “Right… I’ll go and find her before she does something stupid.”_

_So he ran through the citadel and down the streets, constantly calling the Sicarius but with no luck. He wouldn’t blame her if she hated him, but, at the same time, he would because she didn’t tell him. No one did. If he had known her situation…_

_He knocked on her front door, panting from his workout for the day. Her grandma opened it and her face had never been so sour.  
“I’m afraid you must leave, your highness. She doesn’t want to – “_

_“Give the boy a chance, Mary.” Then the Grandpa. “She should have told him instead of leaving it to chance! How on Eos is someone supposed to know how to act when the stimulus hasn’t been given to them?” He sighed. “Come on in, Noct. She’s up on the roof like she usually is when she’s upset.”_

_“Thank you, Sir.” He bowed his head to the older male before he slid himself into the house. He ran up the stairs, turned right and rn further down the solid white corridor until he came to an open window. He stood on the window sill and gazed down. It was a sort of long distance down, about twenty feet to drop, but it was also an easy jump to access the section of roof she was perched on._

_He’d seen her do it on multiple occasions. So he took a deep breath and jumped, mentally preparing himself for a hard landing. But one never came, just a landing on a dirty cushion.  He stepped off the saver and slowly approached the fifteen year old who was sat on the roof with a blanket wrapped around her. He slipped out his jacket and draped it over her shoulders before sitting beside her and gently pulling her into a hug._

_“Airlea I… I’m sorry. I…didn’t know about your father until after – “_   
  


_The sound of her sobs against his chest and the feeling of her shoulders shaking as she clung to him tightly told him to shut up. So he did. But he rested his chin atop her head, stroking her hair and gently running his hand up and down her back. “It’s…gonna be okay. Alright? Me, Prompto and my dad are here for you, yeah?” She nodded and hugged him tighter. “What say we go out for a bit? Nab Prompto and go to dinner together? We haven’t done that in a while.”_

_“Yeah… I’d like that.”_

“So, Noct. What you eating?”

He looked up from the menu in his hand when she asked the question. She was calculating the price of her meal with her phone. Since she had a limited amount of money considering she closed her bank and stopped any transitions, she made it a goal that her meals wouldn’t cost more than 200 gil as a total.

“Just chicken fried rice. Nothing special.”

“Noct, it has peas in.”

“You eat peas though, right?”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay okay. You got a point.” She put down her menu and started writing out her meal and his in her small notebook lest she forget who ordered what. “So your ordering chicken fried rice and I’m getting normal golden rice with ham. So that’s a total of 300 gil…”

“Why…  _did_ you go back to Insomnia?”

She stopped writing for a brief moment. “To try and save the crystal, try to save your father, try to save the people… Because I thought that it could help, you know? Protect you a little more. Just give a helping hand. You know?”

Noct sighed. She was hiding something. He knew it. She refused to look up at him when she replied, her grip on her pen was tighter, her brows ever so slightly furrowed with her annoyance. It was a look he had grown accustomed to over the past few months. He knew why before but now? Something must have happened when she was at Insomnia, or the citadel possibly…

It was eating away his sanity as well as her own. First off, she didn’t tell him where she was going. Secondly, whatever happened must  have traumatised her or had her thinking dangerously all the time. She was a complex person, never the same person two days running.

He looked at her still, catching glimpses of wounds and scars. There was a scar on her right cheek which she received from a feral cat a couple years back, arguably what kick-started her phobia of the creatures. Then she had one on the right side of her lips, cut down the middle of her top and lower lips.

Noctis tilted his head and gave her left arm the same calculating look as she gave his cheek: a fresh wound lingered on her bicep. The cut looked clean enough, though dried blood smears still lingered on her tattered sleeve.

The orders were placed down in front of them and Noct raised a brow at the slight grimace that wiped across her face. He followed his gaze to the subtle movement of her arm: her side was giving her trouble again, yet she still soldiered on.

He began to eat slowly, keeping his  gaze on her battle worn- form. Bags were forming under her eyes and her eyelids looked heavy.   
“What…really happened at Insomnia?”

“Death, destruction, chaos. The normal things that happen when somewhere is invaded.” He saw her sigh and put her fork down again. “You sure you really want to know?” He nodded as he took another forkful of rice into his mouth. “I saw it happen, Noct. I was there when your father died. I tried to save him, really I did, but he refused, said there wasn’t enough time. And to make it worse, Crudelis was there looking all smug and proud as he looked at me and said ‘only one more line of lucis to go’…. Gods I tried. I tried so hard to get there, but he was too far gone and…” As she spoke she became more and more frantic, remorse and anger coating her voice simultaneously. And then she stopped, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Noct…”

He froze then when he felt her hand on his. Her palm was clammy yet cold, her grip firm but gentle. Noct sent his gaze from their hands to her eyes, which looked into his own pleadingly.  
“Airlea, I… It’s not your fault –“

“Yes it is! If I didn’t opt to join this trip I could have –“

“Stop fooling yourself. You would have  gotten yourself killed in the process. And then where would we be? Ending on a bad note again? I hate ending things on bad notes with you, you know? But your just so reckless you almost don’t think with your brain.”

“What brain?”

Noct blinked and then rolled his eyes, almost struggling not to smile or laugh. “This is a conversation to continue at the hotel.”

“Right.”

The difficult thing wasn’t walking to the hotel in silence, it was the silence formed when he closed the door to the room he rented out. It was the way she sat down on the bed with a sigh after him, how she kept her hand on the bed between her and him. It was the way she looked at her lap as if she regretted doing what she thought was right.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were going?” He had asked her after a few moments, voice quiet yet pained.

“I… didn’t want to worry you. I mean, when I left the attack was only a rumour. I didn’t know if it was real or just word of mouth. So I had to check. I didn’t want to wake you and cause you worry for something that could have been a lie. Compared to everything else, it was a trivial mater – “

“A trivial matter?” He spoke as if he had a bitter taste on his tongue. “My father is dead, Lucis is falling apart and you call that a trivial matter?”

“I’m not on about the attack, Noctis. I’m on about me saying goodbye is a trivial – “

“You could have died!” He yelled over her. “You could have died and the last thing I would have said to you was ‘Night’. And before that? You had told me ‘hate is too far’. If you had died out there… If I’m not beside you … It was selfish! Reckless!”

“How else am I supposed to protect you!? Buy an ice cream and eat it in Lestallum? Pretend that I don’t have a duty!?”

“I don’t  _want_ to be protected anymore, Airlea! My father died to protect me. You father died to protect me. Everyone who protects me  _dies_! I don’t want you to die like that, too! I want you to die at peace not in war! To die of natural causes. Not because of me… Not because Lucis is home.”

“Okay. I’ll protect  _Lucis_ instead. Help Cor out. Drop out of the duty I worked so hard to succeed at. Is that what you want me to do? Do you just want me to – “

“You don’t  _understand_ what I’m saying, Airlea! I… I just worry about you, okay? All of you. But mainly you. And I want you to stay. Dammit, I  _need_ you. I  _want_ you. “ He looked at her pleadingly, finding her at the door with her hand clenching the handle. “Please?”

He felt his heart quicken as she approached him again and sat on the bed in front of him, hands on his cheeks. “Noct, you know I’d just come crawling back, dead or no. I’m not your shield, but a blade.  _Your_ blade. You tell me what to do and I’ll do it. I might not be the best, but I’ll try. It is my duty to protect you just as it is yours to make sure I don’t rust or chip or bend, and that I do stay sharp to protect you fully. I can’t always protect you, I only parry and counter. Not block and bash. “

“I know. But blades are easily broken, too.” He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her. “I don’t want you to break.”

Noctis felt her nuzzle her face in the crook of his neck. Something that she had always done. He felt her lips move, heard a small mumble, but not the words. So he just tilted his head to the side, cradling hers.

“And please don’t crawl back to me dead. I don’t think I’d appreciate having a corpse follow me everywhere.”

“Of course not.” She slipped out of his grasp and booped his nose. She giggled whilst he wrinkled his nose and then she ruffled his hair until he, too, chuckled. “I’ll be in the next room over. I promise I’ll stay –“

The prince pulled her down on the bed and chucked himself down so his head was on her lap. “No.”

“Noct –“

“No.”

“Noctis Lucis Caelum let me go to bed right now.” He knew that no matter how serious she tried to be, she just couldn’t stop that smile.

“You can go to bed once I’m asleep.”

“Why can’t I go now?”

“Because reasons.”

“Reasons, huh?” He felt her fingers in his hair as he closed his eyes. “I’ll just let you think that, highness.”

Truth was, something strange was going on. His head was pounding and it seemed like the only thing helping him at that moment was having her fingers gently massaging his scalp until sleep took over.


	6. 05 - Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No trauma lies forgotten. But someone always makes it easier.

It was so cold… Airlea had no idea that a place could be so cold and dark, void of love and peace and equilibrium, only full of poison and corruption, spreading through the tunnels like wildfire, keeping the ice frozen and treacherous. So the daemons could lure travellers who followed the legend into their abode to kill them, gobble them.

She shivered, teeth chattered and body turning numb. Breath was like dense fog, barely visible in the darkness. She looked at the others and noted that Prompto was the only one, besides her, who was hugging himself. The others – most notably Gladio – walking along like they cold wasn’t affecting them.

“This looks big enough to squeeze through.”

Airlea looked at the crevice Gladio spoke of with wide eyes. “For the slim men yes. For women? Nuh-uh. We have boobs. And you? You’ll get stuck.”

“We’re not going any further without you.” Ignis prompted. “You’ve fought many more daemons than we have. We could use the extra pair of hands.”

“Yeah. And you’ve two tombs already.” Gladio added. “And Prompto sure would love to know you still exist and it’s not his imagination.”

The assassin looked at Noct, who was already making his way through the crevice, and made eye contact.

“If you get stuck, just take my hand and I’ll give you a pull.”

“And take out my arm.” She countered. He stopped and looked at her with that ‘I’ll wait until your ready’ look. With a heavy sigh, she approached and slid herself into the crevice. She wasn’t gonna lie, it was a squeeze and a half. “How long is does this go on?”

“I have no idea.”

“Thanks a lot, Noct.” The Sicarius began following him, shimmying along with her hands on the wall.

Sweat beaded on her skin, her body felt hot even though she trembled. Her chest hurt and her breathing became shorter, panicked almost. When she swallowed, her throat was dry. The walls seemed like they were closing in on her.

“Hm. This is a tight squeeze.”

“You don’t say.” She was quiet and she closed her eyes, counting quietly from one to ten as she fumbled.

Her throat began burning, stomach growing heavy and pained… Even with her eyes closed she felt the world spinning, her head pounding.

She stopped moving.

“Airlea, what is it?”

“Ignis, I can’t do it… I can’t move…” She swallowed thickly and felt herself falling sideways, so she clung to the wall tighter.

“What? Claustrophobic?”

“Don’t fucking bully me, Gladio.” She spoke loudly that time round. Her eyes began to water. “It’s no wonder I don’t tell people because you’d just judge me and tell me to man-up or something like that. Not everyone’s fine with absolutely everything, dude.”

“Take deep breaths. Don’t talk. Focus on a calming sound or feeling.” Ignis put a hand on hers.

“I can’t focus over the spinning…”

Another hand took her free one and pried it from the wall, holding it gently. “We’re nearly at the end. Reckon you can do it if me and Specs help you along?”

Airlea nodded and grasped Noct’s hand tightly whilst allowing Ignis to keep his hand on her shoulder.

“I wasn’t going to tease you about it, Airlea.” Gladio spoke.

“You would have thought about it.”

“No – “

“Don’t deny it, Amicitia. Stop acting hard because your the ‘shield’. Be more considerate. If it was Iris in my place you wouldn’t tease. But because it isn’t you would. If Ignis is the mum friend, just be the dad, okay?”

“You gonna call me ‘daddy’ now?”

Airlea sent him a glare. “Do I call Ignis ‘mummy’? No. Stop fantasising about us calling you ‘daddy’. It’s wrong and creepy. First of, my ‘daddy’ was a great man and did more for this country than the media stated. Secondly, I’m not your daughter. Thirdly, I’m not that kinda woman. Fourthly –“

“You’re innocent, Airlea.” Gladio smiled. “You shouldn’t be on this journey.”

“Well I am because it’s what I’ve been trained for. Get used to this sinless woman not being afraid of you.”

“But of tight spaces.”

“See? Your teasing me!”

She felt her arm leave the confines of the crevice and she panicked again for a brief moment before she was helped out with a gentle tug. And a few moments later a large hand ruffled her hair.   
“Only to distract you.”

Airlea slapped his hand away, which caused her more pain than it did him, and smiled. “Still, don’t do it. You never know how bad their situation is.” She looked at Ignis and straightened his glasses. “Thanks, Igs.” And then she skipped over to Noctis and jumped onto his back with a giggle at how he fumbled to stabilise himself and keep her in place. “Thanks for the help, Noct.”

“Um…Sure?” He turned his head to look at her. “But why did you just jump on me?”

“Because I’m still trembling and my head still hurts.”

“So does mine.”

“But only sporadically.” Airlea smiled. “You don’t have to do it if it’s too much for your back. I don’t want to cause you any unnecessary pain, you know?”

“Someday soon, I’ll carry you. But today –“

Airlea settled herself onto the floor. “Do you hear that?”

A daemon’s voice. The same one that spoke earlier. And Prompto calling out for them….  
  
“Prompto…”

Airlea started running, following the cries for help and distress, the others quickly following behind. Sharp turnings, sliding down ice tracks and grabbing  the ledges to use the momentum to lift her and send her in the right direction.

“Leave the prince to me. Oh, and keep my sister alive. She’d make a fine MT.”

“Hell no are you gonna do that to me, you – “ She stopped herself from talking when she saw the daemon make eye contact with her. She swallowed thickly… and then raised her arm in defence

* * *

_The claws came down violently, blood oozing from the wounds and seeping through her white dress. There was gunfire, metal on metal, screams filling night and billowing across the valley  as smoke, melding with the fire of the car in which she had managed to escape from…_

_Airlea fell to the ground, face mud splattering over her. She cried, screamed for help. The more noise she made, the more daemons came and surrounded her. She tried to stop, tried to stand to escape. But every time she was pulled back by goblins and imps._

_Sobbing was all she could do, her body turning numb, shutting down her nervous system to spare her anymore pain… She knew she was going to die… she was giving up… she was going to suffer a cruel fate, being mangled…_

_A loud cry of her name, a shrill screech of defeated monsters, a bright light coming from the curled up hand of a familiar face. “That’s my daughter, you sons of bitches.”_

_She had no time to shelter her eyes as the light enveloped the daemons who so dared as to attack, driving them into the shadows once more. Her father stood tall, almost godly as he held out his hand to use his power, given to him as part of the ceremony from the crystal. Yet it all faded as he knelt beside her and pulled her close, looking over her with tears in his eyes._  
  
“Dad…”

_“Shh, it’s gonna be okay. We’re here now. Regis is on his way, coming as we speak…” He rested her forehead on hers, held her too him…_

_“It hurts…” Her feeling began to return, her throat dry from yelling… “Am I going to die? I’m so tired. And I’m scared…. Where’s Noct? I need to…” A harsh pain was felt across her lower back and she screamed in agony. Confusion washed over her… it wasn’t a lingering pain like the others…_

_“Oh gods. No. No no no no no. You can’t… The gods can’t use you as their bargaining chip. I won’t let them… I won’t…” He buried his face in her neck. “I’d rather die in your place..”_

_“Dad, you’re scaring me.”_

_“Dammit! You’re not going to die.”_

_Airlea could see Noct on the floor. She heard the cries of a King, angered and grieving… “Noct…” She tried to move but the pain caused her much more agony… “No. Dad, take me to him.”_

_“If I do – “_

_“Dad, take me to him. I need to…”_

_Her father took a deep breath and screwed his eyes shut as he groaned in frustration. He pressed his forehead to hers again and made sure their noses were touching. He whispered something, something she wasn’t quiet sure of, and what pain she felt numbed._

_“It will only be for a while. You’ll still be weak.” He helped her up, speaking after her as she ran._

_A while was enough… but she stopped and watched the King…watched as the snake-human thing tumbled… noted the heaviness the King felt as he ran. She continued running, too, shoving past the bodyguards who dared to stop her, and fell to her knee at Noct’s head. She pressed her hands to his cheeks, blood dripping from her chin and onto his cheek. She saw him blink, stopped him from lifting his arm to her._

_“Don’t move, Noct. We’ve got you. You’re safe now.” She spoke quietly, holding his hand tightly. When the king knelt down, she passed the hand to him as he called out for his son, each cry becoming more pained and teary than the last.”_

* * *

“Noct!” She ran to the prince. He was on the floor, knocked down with a swing of the daemon’s tale. She knew by the way he stared up at the Naga that he was remembering, remembering what she wished he wouldn’t.

Airlea stood in front of him, raising a hand to bring up a protective  barrier. When the Naga struck, it reeled back. “Ignis, gimme a plan!”

“Give it – “

“No time for that, Iggy! Gladio grunted. “Airlea, you have that power, right?”

“The power to get confused? What power?”

Gladio pushed back against the blow he blocked. “The one your dad gave you! The light…thing!”

Airlea blinked. “I don’t know! He gave me that?”

“When you nearly – “

“Wait, he did?” Airlea looked at her hand. “I’ve never…” She looked up. “Oh well. Let’s do this.” She held out her hand and focused intensely on the memory, gaze kept on the Naga. Sweat pricked at her brow and light began to illuminate her hands, the atmosphere growing a little heavier before it lightened suddenly and a beam of light struck the Naga… It burned like fire, pain engulfing her hand.

She grasped her wrist, tightly, ignoring it for as long as possible. Once the daemon fell, she let go of her hand and fell to her knees, out of breath. She watched the burn mark forged on her hand fade into nothingness… She shouldn’t have been able to cast it. She knew that much. It was her father’s power, not hers. Each Sicarius had a different power. And not all of them were useful…

That’s why it hurt. That’s why she was breathless. That’s why it drained her energy.

“You look comfy down there.” Gladio spoke casually. “Nice and cold?”

“I hate you, Amicitia.”

“Love you, too.”

“Ew. That’s gross. Your love is unrequited.” Airlea lifted an arm and yawned into it. The four boys helped her up. “Thanks.” She looked at Noct with a smile. “And your welcome.”

“Yeah. You too.”

* * *

_Noctis awoke to the sun burning into the room. He half expected his father to still be at his side, like he was the day before, yet that wasn’t the case. A cold, damp cloth was pressed to his forehead, a hand somewhat smaller than his keeping his fringe out the way._

_“Good morning, Noct.” He rolled his eyes to his left and saw Airlea smiling gently. “How do you feel?”_

_“…Numb.”_

_“Waist down?”_

_He nodded and knew that the way she lowered her head, the way her gaze and smile fell, that it was bad. “Paralysis so it seems. Your father had his suspicions. But we know what he’s like: the council says ‘your son is paralysed waist down’ and he stands by the very idea that no one will know until you awake.” The bed dipped as she sat. “Important thing is, you’re alive. This **is** curable – just means going back to Tennebrae in a couple of months. Once your well enough.”_

_He tilted his head and was finally able to reach out and touch the injury injuries she had sustained. “What about you?”_

_“Looked and felt worse than it was. Though I still could have died had my dad not shown up.” Airlea shrugged. “Mum says they’ll scare but – Hey. What you doing?”_

_Noctis had managed to pull her into him. “I thought you did die, silly… I vaguely remember seeing you but you were bleeding so badly…” He buried his face into her neck, tried to stop his shoulders from shaking. But he couldn’t stop them when he felt her arms around him. Everything that happened just him like a tonne of bricks and he had no idea what to do or what this meant for him. “I was scared. **I’m** scared, Airlea. Don’t leave me…”_

_“I won’t.” She sounded so sincere, hugged him tightly as if she was emphasising that point. “As soon as I am able, I’ll protect you…”_

* * *

“Hope you don’t get lost too deep in your thoughts, might fall into the fire.”

Noctis looked up at him with wide eyes, confused about who spoke and where everyone was, before looking back to the fire again at the realisation that they had gone into the tent. “Sorry.” He quirked up his lips slightly. “I’ll be careful.”

Airlea swallowed her dinner: cheese and bacon pasta bake. “You better be. Hey. Want some? You didn’t eat all your dinner. You skipped the veg.”

Noctis nodded. Now that he thought about it, there was a hunger that was building within him. So he put down the tool he used to tend the fire and stood. She was sat beside her Chocobo, who was bickering with his chocobo, and he rolled his eyes at the two. He sat beside her, knees touching.

“Open wide.”

Noctis sighed through his nose and opened his mouth, a blush spreading over his cheeks as she fed him the pasta that was on the fork.

“C’mon Airlea. Can I have some too?” Prompto called out..

“No. You ate all your dinner.”

“But just a forkful.” He picked up a fork and Airlea hugged the plate to her.

“No. It’s mine.” And she began to scoff it down, not caring about the stares the two boys gave her as she finished the pasta. “Shoo. Go to sleep. You need – wait. Did you have that cut on your forehead earlier?”

“Nope. There was a stick next to me and I didn’t realise.”

Airlea let out a short laugh. “Numpty. Anyway, off you go to sleep. Ignis needs to check you over to make sure you’re all good.”

“But – “

“I know your self-conscious, but he’s doing it to all of us. Including me. You’ll be fine Prompto. Because despite it all, you do your best. And if anyone hurts you, you know where to find me. I will happily hit them for you. Especially that dude from elementary. “

“Thanks.” Prompto grinned. “Till morning!” And he walked back to the tent.

Noctis frowned. Airlea had his heart… yet Prompto was getting more attached to her. And her hated it. He kissed her cheek. “Noct, what was that for?”

“Science.”

“Science? Really?” She looked at him in disbelief but she soon chuckled. “Your cute. You know that, right?”

“Why thank you. Not bad yourself.”

“Oh you…” She nudged his shoulder. “Stop it.” He smiled and pulled her into him as she laughed, his nose.

Airlea looked up at him, met his gaze. His smile fell, but he kept eye contact, though he averted his gaze to her lips before bringing them back into her eyes.

_He loved her and he was going to make sure she knew his heart._

“Airlea… I… You… Gladio’s right. You’re too pure. Not a spec of darkness within you like there is in me.” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “But I can’t continue hiding my heart anymore… knowing that men look at you, expect you to be with them… I don’t want you to be with them…”

“What about Luna?”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to make. What use is it to have peace when I won’t be happy?” His face got closer till his breath fanned against her lips. “I only want you…”

“Noct –“

“You can say ‘no’, Airlea. I don’t want you to be unhappy.”

Airlea kissed him deeply, lips pressing to his as if he was going to leave and never come back, as if she terrified that it was all a dream. He felt her grasp the collar of his jacket. He kissed her back ardently, grazing her lips with his teeth – purely by accident - and pulled her into into his lap. He had wanted to do this in so long. Had wanted to know how soft her lips were, how neatly she moulded into him.

When he pulled back, she looked more beautiful than he could ever remember. And her smile was so genuine that it made his heart skip a beat. She breathed heavily, hands sprawling over his chest. Noctis smiled and kissed her forehead, her arms soon wrapping around his waist from beneath his jacket.

“I love you, Noct.” She rested her head upon his heart and closed her eyes as he pulled her close. “I don’t want this to be a dream. I there to be an ‘us’. Yes, Luna exists. Yes, the world exists. Yes, the prophecy exists. And yes, I couldn’t give a crap about them because all I care about..is you.

"You’re all I care about too, Airlea.” He ran his fingers through her hair “Always have…” And he kissed her forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by no means the original ch5, I was thinking ‘I HAVEN’T SHOWN THAT AIRLEA LOVES HIM’ and I was gonna scrap the ‘happy accident’ as I dubbed it. But I got a comment an hour ago on the previous chapter how this should happen and there were very excited so i kept it in though it is different. First half is Airlea, 2nd is Noct.
> 
> LET ME KNOW IF YOU CRIED IN THE FLASHBACKS BECAUSE I DON’T WANT TO BE ALONE. And did I write claustrophobia well? I don’t have it so advice would be great.


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